Thankful

I realize that I'm often a lame blogger as I have admitted in my "Confessions of a lame blogger" post.  In all my lameness, I realized I had no Thanksgiving post ready today.  So, here's a list of things I'm thankful for today...as I sit here...and try to type this post in between customer interruptions and job responsibilities.

I'm thankful for the Thai massage last night.  I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoy a masseuse digging into my back, shoulders, and neck with their elbows, knees, fingers, and toes.  Yes, I said toes.  I love it.  And, the stretching at the end is sheer bliss. 

I'm thankful for technology.  Sometimes, social media drives us all insane.  But, I'm thankful for all the ways to keep connected to friends and family.  This week - I used viber to text my mom in Texas and one of my bestest gal pals in Italy; I used skype to chat with my dad and stepmom; I received a picture of my nephew at his first varsity basketball game via email; I shared that pic with a couple of close friends via facebook messenger; and I look at all the Instagram pics of yummy Thanksgiving food and families.

I'm thankful for Ellen DeGeneres.  What Barack Obama had to say when Ellen received her Presidential Medal of Freedom had me in tears.  I was thinking of an aunt who came out to her parents (my grandparents) in the '70s.  There was no one like Ellen in the public eye.  Her positivity is infectious.  A friend of mine shared this on facebook:  Ellen shows "how normal we are. She didn't hide her sexuality or her life, she just talked about Life. and for years she sat on Daytime television just being herself. Being Funny, talking about the trials and tribulations of marriage. She got political, but never preachy. She epitomizes so much in how we can change hearts and minds not through yelling or anger, but through kindness and humor."

I'm thankful for this guy who has been dubbed the "Aussiest.  Interview.  Ever."  Seriously, if you like to watch video clips for a laugh, please watch this one.  Plus, he shares sound advice: "If you do good for your mates, they do good for you."  Or something like that.  I was crying with laughter, and I love the feeling of finding something so joyful and funny that you're crying and laughing at the same time.

I'm thankful for public libraries - free entertainment!  I'm thankful for book challenges (of course, the participants in my own Book Challenge by Erin hold a special place in my heart).  I'm thankful for Jana and  Steph hosting the "Show Us Your Books" link-up and all the book-lovin' bloggers that I get to book chat with each month.  I feel like the last few years, my love of reading has been rejuvenated, and the library, book challenges, and the link-up have all been full for that fire.

I'm thankful for my fur babies.  The unconditional love that they show with cuddles from the kitties and slobbery kisses from the doggies. 

I'm thankful for gift-giving.  Look, I ain't gonna lie, I enjoy receiving gifts too, but I really, really do like giving gifts.  I like shopping for them.  I like wrapping them.  I like giving them.  And, this time of year over any others, I get to give lots of gifts.

I'm thankful for these guys that I talked about in a 2014 Thanksgiving post.  I'm thankful to feel so much love from a family that it causes me to miss them so much, especially during holidays like this.

I'm thankful for my Australian family.  I feel loved.  I feel valued.  I feel challenged.  I feel appreciated.  I feel like I'm in an equal partnership with my husband.  Those are all feelings that I'm thankful for. 

And, thank you for spending some time with me in this little corner of my world.  I appreciate the interactions, the laughs, the lessons, and the stories that we share in the wacky world of blogland. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sunday's Seven Snapshots vol.49

When I get my hair done, I take lots of selfies.  No shame.

It's that time of year...to decorate, sing, gift, cook, celebrate, go to parties, shop, and spread Christmas cheer.  It is also the time of year when those of us who work/own retail stores are driven a little mad.

On Thursday, a friend of mine posted on facebook (rather eloquently) about being grateful and focusing on giving back to others less fortunate.  On Friday, with his words still ringing in my ears, I passed a "giving tree".  I turned around and grabbed two cards to give gifts to a couple of kids in need.  It's not much, but it's such an easy thing to do to give to others.

My girl Ivy hanging out in the bookshelf.  I'd hang out in the bookshelf too (if I could fit).

Friends & family came together to celebrate Thanksgiving with me.

I can't say enough about my guy - he made everything you see here - turkey with cranberry sauce, stuffing, corn, peas, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, homemade mac & cheese, salad with homemade honey mustard dressing. 

My mother-in-law provided all the desserts. I just got to enjoy it all!

So much to be thankful for this week.  Leftovers for a week!  I'm thankful for that too. How about you?

Songs I am thankful for

The last Thursday of every month, Jana and I are creating playlists for your listening pleasure.  As we brainstormed for this month, this was Jana's exact suggestion:  "How about...songs we're thankful for? Can be ones that make us happy, ones that remind us of childhood, ones that motivate us. Stuff like that."  My response was "perfect".

Selecting songs that I'm thankful for was actually more difficult of a task than I imagined.  So many songs streamed in and out of consciousness...for so many different reasons.  Choosing just a few that really meant a lot to me that I could relate to you their importance, well...like I said, it proved to be more difficult task than I imagined.

If you've been here often, or if you know me at all, you are going to assume that Bon Jovi will be on this list.  That assumption is absolutely correct.

Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi - My mother took myself and three other junior high girls to see Bon Jovi on the Slippery When Wet tour.  As you can imagine, it was a highlight of my adolescence (if not the highlight).   Portions of the video for Wanted were filmed at The Summit in Houston, Texas.  This started a bond that my mother and I have over Bon Jovi.  We've been to several more concerts together throughout the years.  She sends me messages when she sees a performance or interview on tv.  PLUS - another special moment happened with this song:  2006 - one of my very best girlfriends and my boyfriend at the time (who shared and supported my love of music and travel) saw Bon Jovi at Milton Keynes in England.  We had GA tickets, and we were pretty close for most of the show.  During the encore, I wanted a change of setting.  This venue is a "bowl" that is outdoors and inclines down towards the stage.  I went to the top of the bowl...behind the rest of the crowd...watched 65,000 people singing at the top of their lungs to this song.  And, I cried.  Yep.  Cried big tears.  I cried because I was happy.  I cried because I was overwhelmed.  I cried because I was thankful.
(What you see on MTV's VMAs nowadays is complete and total crap compared to this right here.......watch youtube clip now)

Always on My Mind, Willie Nelson version - He's a Texas icon.  He's a unique, unconventional talent.  I like Texas...and I like unique, unconvential, talented people.  Growing up, we had season tickets to my university's football games.  My dad was a graduate and got season tickets before I was born.  This was a family tradition.  My dad, although I do not consider him a country music fan, was a Willie Nelson fan.  Whether it was Red-Headed Stranger, Stardust, Honeysuckle Rose, Pretty Paper...these albums were in heavy rotation.  Also, my dad has an excellent voice.  On most of all of those road trips to College Station, Texas to see our football game, I would sit in the back seat and listen to my dad sing along to Willie.  This song will always remind me of Texas, back roads, football games, and my dad.  Thankfully.

 
Scars by Papa Roach - I have sang this song at the top of my lungs with tears streaming down my face more times than I can count.  In my car.  In my apartment.  In a concert.  In a park.  Word for word, I felt like these lyrics were written for me at a time in my life that I felt like I would indeed "tear my heart open" then "sew myself shut".  For years and years, I followed that same cycle ... tearing myself open, only to feel hurt, pain, sadness ... so, I'd sew myself shut, and I'd pretend I was all good.  I finally broke that cycle, and now this song is an anthem for me to remind myself what I've been through, what I've learned, where I've been, and being thankful for where I am.
 

Don't Move by Butch Walker - During a period of my life (like a whole decade of it...or maybe even more), I was having a really difficult time believing in love.  Believing that I could be loved.  Believing that I deserved love.  Believing that I could give in a way that allowed myself to love.  This song made me feel like love was possible.  It gave me all the feels.  I didn't find the love that this song made me feel for years after hearing it, but it made me believe that love could possibly exist for me.  It still gives me all the feels...shivers...goosebumps.  I'd guess this is a song many of you don't know.  Please listen to it.  Thank you.

By My Side by INXS - My guy and I didn't have an ideal start or the easiest time getting where we are.  He sent me these lyrics once, during a particularly painful time for us.  This song haunts me.  I've always loved its simple beauty.  I am thankful that it played a small role in getting us where we are today. Writers: Kirk Pengilly, Andrew Farriss

"In the dark of night
Those faces they haunt me
I wish you were so close to me

Yes I wish you were
By my side"

Just A Girl by No Doubt - It's fun, witty, sarcastic, and awesome in everyway.  It's an anthem that let's me strut, dance, sing, bounce, jump, and feel all kinds of girl power!  I felt this way about it 20 years ago, and I still feel that way today.  For that, I thank you, Gwen, Tony, Tom, and Adrian.



Don't forget to go check out Jana's songs that she is thankful for.

Tell me...what song(s) are you thankful for?

Thoughts #16 - Thanks

It's that time of year again.  Thanksgiving.  It's the most difficult day for me as an American living in another part of the world.  Thanksgiving is a very special day filled with food, football, and family while expressing gratitude for so many of our blessings and bounty.  My guy has been great in years past, knowing that it is an important holiday for me.  He's cooked me a turkey dinner with all the fixings.  He's taken me to a restaurant that hosted a Thanksgiving themed meal.  As much as I appreciate him and his efforts, (I really, really am grateful to have him)...but, Thanksgiving just isn't the same without these guys.  Today, I'm a little sad. 

Yep, we're family!

To my Texas family:  Thank you for being you, and loving me for being me!  Love you, and miss you.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

**P.S. The next time I'm with my other side of the family, I totally need pictures!

Thoughts # 4 - Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of those days that make me miss my family and American traditions. Family, food, football, and giving thanks - what's not to love?  Most reflect on what they've been blessed with and express gratitude to their loved ones.  Everyone seems to treat each other a little nicer (except those in heated football rivalries).  

That's one drastic difference - past Thanksgivings for me always included the A&M/Texas, so that's a big change.  I have no doubt, instead of rushing off to College Station or Austin, I'd be planted in front of a tv watching the other football rivalries. 

For my family and loved ones, as you're stuffing yourself with turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potato pie, chocolate pie, and more...know that I'm thinking of you today (a little more than every other day). I'm thankful for you, and I'm there in spirit!